Desperation
by Prettycrazy
Summary: What will happen when desperation plays an important part in their lives - Clarisse and Rupert!
1. Chapter 1

** Well here is another little story from me - actually I had been telling Captain Weirdo to write from this plot but she ended up getting me to do it LOL**

**I hope you will enjoy - and if you aren't allowed to read T-rated stories be good and click back!!**

**HUGE thanks to Revsue for being my beta on this one!! Love ya!!**

**oooooooooooooooooooOOOOOOOOOOOOOOoooooooooooooooooooooo**

Genovia 1967

Clarisse and Rupert along with five year old Pierre and three year old Phillip had just returned home from a two week spring vacation in South Africa.

The boys were both tired and were taken to their rooms to have a small nap before dinner. Both Clarisse and Rupert headed to Rupert's office, dreading the amount of work that possibly would await them.

"Oh darling, I don't want to open this door!" Clarisse said with a worried smile

"Don't worry my love; it is our slow time of the year so it will only be a little." Rupert reassured her while pressing a kiss to her hair.

"I hope you are right!" She pushed the door open and laced their fingers behind her back. She pulled him inside and kicked the door shut.

"What?" She said as he pulled her into his arms.

"I…I'm sorry I thought you wanted some private time since you so firmly kicked the door shut!" Rupert was a tad confused.

"Oh darling, actually I kicked the door shut to prevent anymore work to pass the threshold. But since we are already in this position it would be a shame to waste it, am I right?" she winked at him and flashed him a beautiful smile which quickly was covered by his mouth. His hands travelled slowly over her body, massaging all the right places, his hand was running up her back slowly pulling up her shirt and just as he had gotten access to her bare skin, a knock sounded at the door. Clarisse started laughing.

"I will abdicate my title for just five more minutes alone with my wife!" Rupert yelled towards the door, but with a smile on his face. As the door opened to reveal his mother, he ran his hand down the side of Clarisse's face and she leaned into his hand while getting herself presentable again.

"Am I too early in welcoming you home?" she questioned her son and daughter in-law.

"About two minutes, mother!" Rupert laughed and was quickly joined by the women in his life.

"Well actually I didn't want to welcome the two of you home first but…..I can't seem to find…..where are my grandsons?" Queen Dorothy looked around like she was searching for something.

"Oh shoot Rupert, I knew we forgot something when we left!" Clarisse sighed and put her forehead to his chest. As Rupert's laughter was starting to build in his chest, she again raised her head "They are upstairs in their bedrooms, taking a small nap before dinner time, they were tired after the trip!" Clarisse smiled and went to her small table in Rupert's office and started looking at some papers.

"Well, I will see them at dinner I suppose!" Dorothy softly said and added "even though I interrupted you two in something, welcome home!" She laughed as she walked out the door, and the laughter was sounding from the two inside the office as well.

The rest of the day went by in a flash, people kept coming in and out of the office, wishing the royal couple welcome home and adding to the amount of work on both tables. After an hour on the phone with the Italian prime minister, Clarisse rose from her chair and stretched. Rupert looked at her out the corner of his eye, smiling delightedly about what he was seeing. Then she picked up a folder on her desk and walked over to stand besides Rupert. But when she leaned forward, he leaned backwards.

"Rupert, take a look at this!" she requested while flipping through the pages.

"Uhm, I am!" his far away voice said.

"Rupert!" Clarisse scolded and stood up with her hands firmly placed on her hip. "You are not paying attention!"

"Oh yes, I am, I know exactly how high up your skirt starts!" He favoured her with one of his charming smiles and she couldn't help but return it, while smacking his arm.

"You are incorrigible!" She ran her hand through her hair.

"But you still love me!" He pulled her down on his lap and put his arms around her. Clarisse was nodding her agreement to his statement. She placed her arms around his neck, and slowly let her lips meet his. This was always a great way of forgetting the weight of monarchy that rested on both their shoulders. She could feel him starting to deepen the kiss, and willingly took the ride with him. His hand slowly travelled down over her hip, down her thigh only to travel up again, and sneak under the hem of her skirt, but just as he pushed his hand further up under the skirt, a knock on the door was heard.

"No I'm not here, go away!" Rupert joked loudly and returned his lips on hers. But Clarisse couldn't contain her laughter and cried out her 'come' while laughing. The door slowly opened and a maid stepped in, keeping eye contact with the floor, informing her sovereigns that dinner was ready. Clarisse rose from Rupert's lap and pulled him up with her.

They entered the dinning room and were greeted by a sleepy Phillip, who ran into Clarisse's arms and laid his head on her shoulder the second she had picked him up. Rupert softly ruffled his hair and walked over to Pierre who was sitting erect in his chair waiting for dinner to arrive. Rupert sat down and mimicked his oldest son.

"You hungry, Pierre?" Rupert asked and the tiny blond boy looked at his father with big blue eyes just like his mother's.

"Father, I've been away from Chef Boyté's kitchen for two weeks, of course I'm hungry!" the tiny boy rolled his eyes at his father's stupid question.

"Well I am very sorry, Pierre, I promise you that next vacation we will pack up the entire palace and bring it all with us!" Rupert tried desperately to hide his laughter.

In the meantime Clarisse had gotten Phillip settled at the table, still tired, but sitting by himself. They were joined by Queen Dorothy, who took a round of kisses and hugs before sitting down, and both boys were wild to tell her all their adventures. The dinner was served, Pierre ecstatic when he saw what the chef had prepared, so much that he forgot all about telling his Nana what he had seen in Africa. Both Clarisse and Rupert took great enjoyment from their young boys' excitement.

When dinner was over, poor Phillip was almost asleep at the table, and Pierre wasn't worth much either, so two maids took the boys up to their bedrooms to put them to bed. While the adults retreated to the library for a nightcap, Rupert made sure both his wife and mother were taken care of before he poured himself a cognac, then sat down besides Clarisse on the loveseat.

"How was South Africa?" Dorothy asked after a short while and looked from Clarisse to Rupert who seemed more interested in each other than anything else.

"Oh, uhm warm. And very different, but we learned a lot!" Clarisse responded when she realised her mother in-law looking at them.

"Good, good! And you've found each other as well!" she more stated than asked, smiling.

"We never lost each other, but let's just say we've never been better!" Rupert said as he pulled Clarisse's hand to his mouth.

"I'm glad. You two seem as happy as a newlywed couple. And that is more than healthy for Genovia." The elderly woman sounded more than pleased and the three of them small talked about all that had happened during the past two weeks.

"Now I will bid you goodnight and retire!" Dorothy suddenly stood and left the library before either of them could respond. Clarisse leaned into Rupert's chest and he softly put his arms around her. They small talked some more as they finished their drinks. Shortly before midnight they went to their room.

**TBC**

**ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo**

**Please drop me a little review!! Thank you!!**


	2. Chapter 2

Once in their room and changed into night clothes, Clarisse removed her make up

Once in their room and changed into night clothes, Clarisse removed her make up. "I think poor Phillip might be getting ill, he felt a little warm before dinner!" Clarisse shared.

Rupert walked out of the bathroom "He seemed fine once dinner came and when my mother asked him about the trip. It is amazing how much a three year old can tell!" He laughed.

"I guess you are right. I'm just concerned that he was so tired after that nap! I guess we will see how things progress during the next couple of days." she got up and stretched. Rupert immediately ran to her and put his arms around her midsection and started kissing her chest, and up her neck.

"Oh Rupert, have you been waiting for this moment all day?" Clarisse moaned.

"Oh yes darling! Why do you think I suggested much earlier that we retired?" he said in between kisses.

"Rupert, we can….." The rest was muffled by his kisses, his hands were everywhere on her body as their lips were locked in a heated battle. He pushed her backwards hoping to get her on the bed, but luck wasn't present and he hit the bedpost instead, which brought on laughter from Clarisse. She put up her hands around her own head while laughing, but the funny position was forgotten quickly as he deepened the kiss even further and her hands returned to his head instead, showing him that the deepening was welcomed.

Once again he tried to get them on the bed, but he instead got them tangled in the curtain, which hang besides the bedposts, again the laughter grew.

"This is not fair, I just need to hit that damn bed!" Rupert growled into her neck. And she just replied by a small laugh again and then hurriedly pulled his lips back to hers. Finally untangled, he this time knew he would hit the bed, so he picked her up and stepped forward throwing them both down on top of the bed. And as fast as lightning he had them both undressed and under the covers. All the laughter had been the perfect foreplay for both, so they both acted on impulse, and soon they were one, moving to an unheard melody.

Clarisse had just manoeuvred them so as she was straddling Rupert, and with one hand on each side of his face, his hands firmly placed on her breasts. He was breathing heavily just as she was while they were moving in rhythm with each other. They were both approaching climax when loud banging was heard on their bedroom door. Clarisse stilled her movements, and tried to get control over her breathing, but before she could tell the intruder to wait, Rupert bellowed, "What the hell is it?"

The door slowly opened and Clarisse threw herself off of Rupert and under the covers completely. In came the boy's nanny, Jenny. She never looked toward the royal couple; she knew what she had been interrupting.

"I'm sorry, your majesties, I know it's the middle of the night, but prince Phillip is sick and he is asking for his mother!" she said in an apologetically diplomatic manner.

Clarisse was about to spring out of bed, but Rupert stopped her just in time before she revealed her nude form to the nanny. "I will be there shortly, Jenny, and thank you!" Clarisse stammered.

Jenny left and closed the door. Clarisse was out of bed and off to the bathroom as Rupert flopped back into the pillows.

He heard the water start in the shower. "Clarisse, are you showering?" he yelled.

"I can't go into my son like this, covered in sweat and and…..and us!" she yelled back.

Then the water stopped again, and Clarisse came back into the bedroom, drying herself off while looking for her nightgown.

"Wow, you are efficient when you are called to your boys!" Rupert said as he got out of bed, bent down and handed her her nightgown. Then he pulled on his pyjamas pants. They both grabbed their robes and headed to the boys' rooms.

Clarisse hurried inside and little Phillip rose his arms up into the air for his mother to grab him and hold him. "Oh, mama's angel!" Clarisse rocked him back and forth, running her hand over his dark hair whispering comforting motherly words in his ear.

As the night progressed, his fever rose, and he got more and more weak. The royal physician was called to the palace very early in the morning. Rupert was sitting in the large chair in Phillip's room, asleep on Clarisse's order, and she was tending to her son's needs, cooling him down.

Two days went by where Clarisse never slept or left Phillip's room. After dinner on the second day, Rupert went up to the room with a tray, when he entered the room, Clarisse was slumped against the wall besides a sleeping Phillip, her hand on the cool cloth on his forehead. Rupert sat down the tray and walked back over to the door, and whispered to the doorman to get hold of the nanny. He closed the door quietly and walked over to Clarisse.

"My love, I've called the nanny here, you need to get something to eat and you need sleep!" Rupert brushed his hand softly over her cheek.

"I can't leave, Phillip!" was her almost inaudible answer.

"You can't do this, Clarisse, you need to be well when he gets well. Now come with me when the nanny comes. I'll take you to our room I've got a tray for you and when you are done, I'll make sure you get to bed!" He offered.

"No, no, I will sit over there eat a little and sleep a little then you look after Phillip and wake me up if there is the least bit, ok!" she tried tiredly.

"No, Clarisse, you need some real sleep and I promise you that the nanny will get you if something changes, ok?" Just as he had said it, Jenny entered the door.

"Rupert, I want to be here!" Clarisse pleaded.

"You will be again after you've gotten some real dinner and some real sleep, now come!" He said as he first tried to pull her up to stand. Her body wouldn't cooperate, so he swiftly swung her into his arms and carried her out, and to their room, with a footman following behind them with the tray. When they got to their room, Clarisse was asleep in Rupert's arms so he put her in bed and tucked her in. He kissed her forehead and made a move to leave, when she grabbed him.

"Don't leave me!" was all that was heard, and he just shook his head and climbed in, putting his arm protectively around her.


	3. Chapter 3

Weeks went by and Phillip didn't show much sign of getting better, and furthermore Pierre had gotten infected too

Weeks went by and Phillip didn't show much sign of getting better, and furthermore Pierre had gotten infected too. Now both boys were sick and had been taken into another room where they both could be, so Clarisse wouldn't get completely stressed out. Rupert was concerned for his boys' health but also for his wife's. After the boys were put on a drug for them to sleep at night, she had let the nannies take over so she at least wouldn't tire herself out. But still she wasn't giving herself more than five hours at the most, all her work was either put on hold, taken care of by Rupert or her own secretary, so all her hours was spent with the boys. Rupert came in at least for one hour every day and visited, and then all the small visits he could squeeze in, he took. He only saw Clarisse during these visits or if he happened to be awake when she climbed to bed or when she woke up.

The weeks turned into months and the royal physician finally admitted both boys to the hospital, for their sake and for their parents' sake. Clarisse visited for as long as she could without moving into the hospital, even though she rather wanted that. When the boys had been at the hospital for almost two weeks, the doctor called Rupert and Clarisse in for a conversation.

"You majesties, this is not easy for me to tell you!" Doctor Herbert said.

"What is not easy? What is wrong? What is wrong with my boys?" Clarisse jumped up, and was grabbing Rupert's hand.

"Your Majesty, both your sons have a severe infection that has spread to most of their vitals, and we have so far succeeded in keeping it at a minimum, but now all the numbers from their blood tests has gone up drastically. And I must inform you that we fear… it might turn out fatal!" the doctor lowered his voice more and more as he got on in his speech and the more he lowered his voice, the more white Clarisse got.

"Oh god! Oh god! Oh dear god no! No!" Clarisse rambled and was shaking her head clutching Rupert's hand till her knuckles turned white.

"I'm sorry, your Majesties, but there is no other way I can inform you about this that will be more bearable!" Doctor Herbert said.

"Don't worry about it, doctor, you are doing your job. I am sure you will do your country proud and do what must be done. And I am positive that you will be able to save both my sons!" Rupert said firmly, and shook the doctor's hand as he got up and pulled Clarisse up with him.

"Now we will go say good night to our sons, and once again thank you and take good care of them both!" Rupert said, not realising how much pressure he'd put on the doctor. He then put his arm around his wife's back.

Clarisse couldn't say a word since she was shocked over the doctors statement. She might lose both of her precious sons!

When night came, Rupert sought out Clarisse in the garden. She had cried her heart out in his arms, he had let the tears flow freely as well. She asked him for a few more minutes alone and he respected her wishes.

Rupert went straight to bed. He was lying in bed staring at the ceiling. Hearing the door open but not having the light turned on, he was guessing that Clarisse didn't want him to see more of her tears. He felt her moving about in the room, but chose not to say a word. He heard the door to the bathroom open and then he was a little confused because it didn't seem like she was there anymore. He had just closed his eyes when suddenly the bed sheets were thrown back and in one quick move Clarisse was straddling him, kissing him wildly and passionately. He was a bit shocked at the behaviour from his wife, not that he didn't want it, but she hadn't wanted any form of intimate contact for several weeks. Of course this was welcome since he had never said no to her and wasn't planning on doing it now.

It felt as if she was in need of his kisses, needed them as much as air. She aroused him, not only from straddling him, not only from kissing him. Just the thought of her was usually enough, and the thought combined with the other two was almost a deadly cocktail. She was practically eating him, tucking at his lips as she was kissing him. Her tongue demanded access to his mouth; her hands claimed all of his body. He moved his hands up her back, she hadn't bothered to put on a nightgown, her goal was easily won over, and the missing clothing just made it all that much easier. He loved the feeling of her body. She was soft and warm at all times. He could let his hands roam over her body for hours if she would let him. But he knew that now he'd have to enjoy the little time she let him caress her body, because he couldn't tell when or if he would ever again get the chance.

Their love making was short, fast and sort of hard. They were lying beside each other afterwards arms around each other, Clarisse finally relaxing enough to let her mind really swallow the information they'd gotten today. She was crying and Rupert was doing the best he could to comfort her.

"Darling, I know it is hard – it is difficult to understand! I'm devastated about the news as well, but we can't do anything, we have to put our faith to the doctors, and pray that it all will turn out as it should!" Rupert sobbed as he ran his hand up and down her back.

They eventually fell asleep in each other's arms, and for the first time in weeks slept all through the night.


	4. Chapter 4

A few weeks went by with Clarisse being at the hospital for most of her day and evenings, only leaving for short periods of time to help Rupert out, or to go home for the night and sleep

A few weeks went by with Clarisse being at the hospital for most of her day and evenings, only leaving for short periods of time to help Rupert out, or to go home for the night and sleep. After two weeks of no progress for the boys' health, Clarisse went back home, late in the afternoon. She walked into Rupert's office, and walked straight to him. She kissed him passionately, sat down in his lap while continuing her captivity of his lips.

When they broke for air, Clarisse leaned her forehead against his and breathlessly shared her reason for her actions. "I want another child Rupert!" She ran her hand down the side of his face

"Now? But Clarisse, wouldn't you rather just concentrate on the boys? Being pregnant now might be too stressful." Rupert was concerned for his wife. His wife that had exclaimed, after Phillip's birth, she never again would go through the pain of childbirth. She was now asking, almost begging, for another child.

She rose from her position in his lap and walked towards the door "Meet me in the suite in ten minutes!" and then she left. Rupert was dumbfounded. He couldn't do this, he wouldn't do this. They weren't ready for another child, and especially not now. He walked slowly up to their suite, he stood watching the closed door, he didn't know if he could enter at all. But on the other hand he knew he had to. The door man eyed his King, Rupert gave him a glance, and shook his head when asked if the man should open the door for him. Rupert reached out himself and opened the door.

Inside the suite, he saw a few lit candles, enough to light up the bedroom. He ran his hand through his hair and sat down on the bed. He didn't even hear her approach him, but suddenly her hands encircled him from behind, her mouth was travelling up his neck while her hands was pulling at his clothing. She finally reached around him and caught his mouth. She was kissing him like both their lives depended on it. She was greedily exploring his mouth, and he responded with much like the same intensity. But when her hands reached his pants, he woke from the spell she had cast.

"Clarisse, stop please, darling, stop!" he said breathlessly as he pushed her down on the bed, hovering over her.

"What is it, Rupert?" Clarisse was equally breathless.

"We can't do this. I don't want to do this!" he finally said.

"You don't want to do what, Rupert?" she looked at him confused and worried.

"I don't want another child. And neither do you, love. You want a child for all the wrong reasons. I just won't do it!" Rupert sat up and turned his back to her.

"For all the wrong reasons? How can it ever be for a wrong reason when you want to have a child with the man you love? How can it be wrong that I want to make sure you have an heir?" She was cut off by Rupert.

"That's the reason. An heir not love. You love me, I know that, but this has nothing to do with your love for me or my love for you. No, this has everything to do with you making sure there is a Renaldi heir. I, no, we _have _an heir. Two actually." he stated loudly.

"But….but….but Rupert the doctor…..!" She trailed off.

"Yes the doctor told us it might turn out fatal, but I stick to believing that my sons will come through this. They are strong little boys. And I will not impregnate you because you think the worst will happen. If you come back when the boys are healthy and back to their normal selves and ask for another child, then I will consider it. But not when you want another child so that I have an heir. I will rather let the Renaldi bloodline died out with you and me. And that is final!" He stood up at his last sentence.

Clarisse crawled on the bed over to where he stood, on her knees on top of the bed she put her arms around his body once more. "Oh Rupert I never meant for it to be this way, I love you. I didn't mean what I said, I'm sorry darling! I'm sorry! I'm sorry!" She kept apologizing between her kisses to his body, neck and lips once she had worked her way up to them. As she again greedily threw herself over him, he gave up fighting her, and melted into her. He parted his lips and let his tongue run softly over her bottom lip, but as soon as she met his tongue with her own, he pulled back. Looking at her, while catching his breath he held her at arms' length.

"You really know how to pull me back into the spell of Clarisse!" he said, shocked that he had given into her once more. "I will go back to my office now. And I will repeat myself, if you still want another child when the boys are doing good, we can talk about it. But now, you are wanting it for the wrong reasons." He picked up his jacket from the floor and left her sitting on the bed teary eyed.

Another week with no improvements went by, and the annual Pear festival was starting which also meant a ball held by the royal family. Clarisse didn't feel like any celebration, but attended the ball as it was expected of her. It was clear from the beginning of the ball that it would not be a ball that lasted all night, like it usually did. Rupert was drowning all the frustration over his boys' bad health in the champagne. Shortly before midnight, the last guest was gone. Queen Dorothy thanked the music for their lovely entertainment. Clarisse had left for bed before the last guest said good night, but was down in the grand hall in a long nightgown and her robe covering her shoulders. She walked over to Rupert who was emptying a bottle of champagne, knelt down in front of him and convinced him to go to bed. She supported him all the way to the suite, once inside she helped him over to the bed and he threw himself down on it, slightly laughing in his uplifted manner. He discharged his shirt, his jacket was left somewhere downstairs in the ball room, finally out of the shirt he flopped back down and started to doze off, when suddenly he was woken up by his wife's magic hands.

"Clarysss……what are we doing!" he tried.

"Sssshhh darling, just relax and enjoy, this will be good for both of us!" she reassured him, while kissing his highly alert body. The champagne had done wonders for both his sensitivity and his needs. He was turned on just by her touch, forgetting all the dos and don'ts, wants and don't wants.

The next morning, Rupert woke with a headache the size of a ferris wheel. , he glanced at the clock on Clarisse's bedside table, it read 10:22. It had been years since he'd slept that long. He knew Clarisse already was at the hospital, he didn't even have to call and find out. He threw the sheet back and started to get out of bed, he needed a shower. He looked down his own body, he was naked, and he just knew what had happened last night.

As the day, went by Rupert got more and more frustrated. Why had he turned to champagne last night?,That wouldn't take away his worries about the boys; come to think of it, it actually added more worries. What if Clarisse fell pregnant from this? What would happen then? Would he be able to love this child? Of course he would, how could he doubt it? Would he be able to love it if, God forbid, the boys died? Oh could he? He wasn't sure, the child would be there to take the boys' place if that was the outcome that they died. Could Clarisse handle another pregnancy at this point? Oh God, so many questions filled his head, and a headache started to work its way up. He hadn't even noticed the clock. Clarisse would be home soon. They hadn't spoken all day, and soon he would talk with her, about what he didn't know yet but hopefully that would come when he saw her.

Dinner was quickly over, Rupert had taken it in his office again, he didn't want to sit in the dinning room alone. And when his plate was taken away, he just sat there, looking over a family picture that was taken at Phillip's first Christmas when he had been almost three months old. They all looked so happy. He was interrupted by his aide after a good hour.

"Your Majesty, I have two proposals more from Parliament, would you like to review them now? And I also have the blueprints of the new orphanage." He advised his monarch.

"No no, I don't want to see any of that now. You could instead inform me if my wife might be arriving soon?" Rupert questioned without looking at the man but just tracing the faces in the picture.

"I will see to it immediately, your Majesty!" The young man bowed.

"I only want to be interrupted by you to tell me when I can expect her here in my office, or by herself, understood?" Rupert commanded again without looking up and didn't catch the young man's nod.

Only twenty minutes later, a soft knock was heard at the office door, and then the door was cracked open, the knocker not waiting for a reply from the king.

"Rupert, love, you wanted to see me?" Clarisse walked slowly into the office, closing the heavy door behind her.

"Clarisse! Uhm yes, yes I did, I do!" Rupert stammered as he rose from his chair behind the table and started to move around to where she was standing.

"Rupert, what is wrong? Has something happened to the boys? Something happened, am I right?" She immediately got worried to the point of panic.

"No Clarisse, this has nothing to do with the boys, well yes it does, but nothing has changed in their condition. But Clarisse, if I'm not mistaken, then uhm….then we…you and I had uhm…are you really willing to jeopardise what we have, for another child?" Rupert sat down in front of her, taking hold of her hand.

"Rupert we made love last night, yes, because we both wanted to, not because we needed to. And having another child would not harm our relationship, darling, never!" Clarisse brought their hands to her mouth and kissed his fingers.

"Darling, listen to me, you are not thinking clearly at the moment. I would love nothing more than to have more children with you, but I want more children with you for the same reasons we had Pierre and Phillip, because we both wanted children and because it was a natural part of our marriage. I was not part of what happened in our bedroom last night, and if I think about it, neither were you. You want this child because you are afraid that you haven't fulfilled what my father has told you is your duty to Genovia, to produce a healthy, living heir. And now that you are faced with the possibility that we may lose both boys, your mind has set itself to believing that you then need to have a child to be complete, or to have done your job." Rupert stopped to dry his tears away.

"So you are telling me that I have become a crazy person? Like that lady who keeps writing you in hope of winning you over?" Clarisse's voice was hard to recognized, even for the man with whom she shared her life.

"No, my love, I do not think of you as crazy! Far from it. I just don't think you are able to see what this will do to us, maybe even to the boys, if we have another child. Do you remember what you said to me the first night after Phillip's birth?" he questioned her as he sat up beside her.

"Uhm…..that I now felt our family was complete?" She wasn't sure.

"Yes, that you said too, but before that you said that you hoped that you now had done your duty to Genovia, because you never wanted to go through childbirth ever again, and I told you that I never would force you to go through it again and that no one could be more proud of you that you've done it twice." He took a deep breath. "and now you are begging me for another child, you are taking advantage of my weakness, which is you. What if you are pregnant? How will you feel if I should happen to not love this child?" He had to keep the hard mask on otherwise he knew he would succumb to her tears.

And her tears was flowing, she knew deep down that he was right – why so desperate for another child, and what would the boys think when they got older, seeing this younger sister or brother? All they would feel toward this child would be resentment. They would even feel resentment towards both Clarisse and Rupert. This child would only be there because they had thought the boys might die. And wouldn't there be too much pressure put on this new child that might come? It would only have been conceived to save or secure the Renaldi bloodline that Clarisse was so proud to be part of. She was praying all day and all night that her boys would recover completely, but it was now nagging her that she actually a few times had prayed that she would fall pregnant. But the nagging wasn't enough to let her brain take total control over her. She started kissing Rupert just as passionately as she had last night while making love to him. She couldn't stop herself, and the worst part was that she knew it and she knew that Rupert was right. They shouldn't have another child. She pulled herself away from him and looked at him.

"I'm sorry, Rupert, I can't stop this! You are right, we shouldn't have another child!" She got up and ran out of the office, with a dumbstruck Rupert sitting back at the couch very confused.

TBC


	5. Chapter 5

Part 5

Part 5

The following night, poor Pierre took a turn for the worse, and sent Clarisse into hysteria, not one doctor or nurse could see themselves free of insults from the lovely queen. A member of the royal staff called for King Rupert. When Rupert stepped through the door of the doctor's office, Clarisse was immediately in his arms crying. He ran his hand up and down her back hoping to soothe her. They all sat down and the doctor explained what had happened to Pierre. Then they were left alone in the private family room next to the boy's room which had been made into a special room for the royal family only. Clarisse was pacing the floor thin, and Rupert tried to sit back and relax just for a moment.

"Oh god oh god oh god! My precious Pierre! Why can't we go see him?" Many thoughts and questions came from Clarisse.

"The doctors need space to work, darling. And we can't do anything in there now anyway, so we might as well just wait." She shot him a look "I know it's hard, darling, it is hard for me too!" He got up to get a glass of water. When he sat back down, Clarisse was over him in a second.

"uhhmmff, Clarisse – what are you doing!" he muffled out between her kisses.

"Oh Rupert, please, please, love, I need another child!" she moaned.

He tried to push her away, but found that the strength of a desperate woman wasn't something to underestimate. Even the reminder of them being in a somewhat public place couldn't nor wouldn't make her stop. Her hands were everywhere on him. He tried at first to stop her hands by taking hold of them, but she was so set on her task that she broke free and after a couple of minutes fighting for control, Rupert simply gave up and instead of fighting her, he embraced her. He kissed her, he caressed her. Doing just what she wanted, with only a little twist of his own likings. He just wanted her to be happy, needed her to be happy and preferably right now. No matter how utterly wrong her reasons were for this happiness. And he made love to her right there on a simple couch, not caring if anyone should notice.

The following weeks, Rupert regretted what he, no they, had done. He couldn't sleep or eat right, and he even had trouble fulfilling his position as king. He was worried because Clarisse wasn't herself, she hadn't been for a long time, but now she wasn't herself in a different way, and he remembered this from earlier in their marriage, twice actually. She had been the exact same way during her pregnancies with both boys. Had she really gotten what she wanted, and what he didn't want? Was she pregnant? He could feel his hair turning grey, just from all the worrying.

One morning, Rupert woke up to the noise of Clarisse in the bathroom, and immediately his head started spinning. She was pregnant. He could feel his head pounding. This was not supposed to happen. Why had he given into her sweet being, her seductive way, her determined goals? He couldn't say no to her.

The door to the bathroom opened and a pale Clarisse emerged from the room. She noticed Rupert was awake, and she crawled back into bed, and pressed into him.

"I think we finally did it, Rupert!" she said joyfully.

"Did what, Clarisse?" He tried not to sound too dark; he hoped she would come up with a different answer.

"A child, Rupert. I think I'm pregnant. Oh, isn't it wonderful!" She kissed his chest and laid her head where her lips had just been.

Rupert didn't answer her, he just put his arms around her, and drifted back to sleep, only to be awaken an hour later, by Clarisse again. She was twisting and turning in front of the mirror, asking him a lot of different questions, while tightening the fabric of her nightgown over her midsection, just to loosen it again, then tightening it over her bust area.

"Clarisse, I think you should call the doctor and get it confirmed, a mirror is not going to tell you! But you do look pretty!" He tried to lighten his own mood.

"Oh I don't need to call the doctor, I can feel it. We have succeeded!" she exclaimed.

"I would wait with shouting it from the rooftops just yet. I think we should call the doctor and have him confirm it when we are at the hospital anyway!" Rupert tried to make it sound practical, but failed when he noticed the look Clarisse shot him.

"NO! Rupert, we will wait till I say, and that is final. Besides, never underestimate a woman's sixth sense!" She stormed over to the bed pointing at him. " I'm pregnant and I know it!" With that she walked to the bathroom and Rupert flopped back down in the pillows, sighing.


	6. Chapter 6

Part 6

**Part 6**

Finally after a long time with things going down hill with the boys, Pierre started feeling better, no fever, no aching anywhere. Both Rupert and Clarisse were relieved. Finally some improvement that lasted longer than a few days. Both Pierre and Phillip had many times shown signs of getting better but relapsed a few days later. So when the doctor called and informed that the fever hadn't returned and now had been gone completely for ten days, they dared believe it was going to be alright with Pierre at least.

After an entire day of pampering their oldest son, Clarisse and Rupert said their good nights to both boys and went home. All the way back to the palace, Clarisse was rubbing her hand over her abdomen. Rupert pretended to not notice, but when Clarisse suddenly grabbed his hand and placed it where hers just were.

"Oh God Rupert, finally one of them is getting better so there won't be such big pressure on this little one!" she said.

"Clarisse, you still don't know if you are pregnant, so before we start talking about pressure on that poor child, let's know it for sure that it's on its way!" he responded casually.

"You don't believe I'm pregnant? Still? Look at me, Rupert, I'm showing already, I have morning sickness all day, even my breasts have grown. How can you think that I'm not pregnant? For your information, I haven't had my period for the past 3 months. And I've booked an appointment with Doctor Herbert for tomorrow. Just to confirm what I already know!" She huffed, threw his hand away and turned to look at the passing scenery.

Rupert just mumbled a little, he didn't want to fight her. And if she indeed was pregnant it was as much his fault as it was hers. But he didn't want to mess anything up by saying out loud that he didn't want this child, that he didn't want this pregnancy. But if it was to be that a new Renaldi baby should see the light of day, he would love it as much as the other two.

The following day, Clarisse was sitting in the doctor's office waiting for his return with her results, and she couldn't wait to tell Rupert that she was right. But she would tell Pierre and Phillip first that they were going to have a new sibling, and then she would tell Rupert. She was so caught up in her own thoughts that she didn't even hear the doctor enter the room. And she jumped when he spoke.

"Clarisse, I have your results right here, but before I give them to you, let's talk a bit first!" Doctor Herbert sounded concerned.

"Wha…what? Oh please, John,I can't wait to hear the results!" she quickly said and folded her hands.

"I know, Clarisse, but you need to answer a few questions first." He looked her right in the eye and waited for her nod, then he continued "What made you think you were pregnant?" The concerned look passed over his face once again.

"Rupert and I have been trying for a while, and then three months ago when my period didn't come and has been absent since, and I've had all the same symptoms as I had with both Pierre and Phillip, and of course the growing of my abdomen!" she smiled and folded her hands over her midsection.

"How does Rupert feel about this possibility of another child?" he challenged her and she knew it.

Should she lie, should she just tell him the truth? "Uhm, he is….o…open to the possibility, otherwise we would never have been here!" She tried to sound genuine but knew she had failed completely.

"Clarisse, I've known you and Rupert most of your lives, and I was there when you delivered both Pierre and Phillip. You told Rupert after Phillip's birth that you never wanted to go through childbirth again. So please forgive me when I say that I have a hard time believing this joy, and I don't think Rupert would ever put you through another birth. He was extremely worried about you during Phillip's delivery. Clarisse, who wanted to become pregnant?" Doctor Herbert asked concerned.

A long, silent pause followed and Clarisse was doing all she could to not look at the doctor. John caught her eye. "Clarisse you are not pregnant!" He could see that the words didn't register. So he got up and knelt down in front of her. "You are not pregnant, this is all in your head. And you are believing it so strongly that it is playing tricks with your body as well as your mind." He noticed the tears starting to form in her eyes.

"I just wanted to make sure Rupert would have an heir when you told us about the possibility of losing both Pierre and Phillip. He didn't want to have a baby, John, he didn't want it! I had to fulfil the duty that I agreed to when I married Rupert. I promised to give him at least one healthy living heir. I shouldn't have done this. Rupert will never forgive me!" She was crying full force now.

John did what he could to comfort his queen, and once she'd collected herself, she went back to the palace to ponder over how to tell Rupert this. She went to her own office the second she entered the palace. She excused herself from any intruders and asked only to speak with the chef. When he arrived, Clarisse asked for a nice quiet dinner for her and Rupert. And the chef immediately hurried to prepare it.

When dinner time came, Rupert walked suspiciously into the small dining room he had been called to. A table for two was set with candles and flowers. He walked over to the table and ran a finger over the silver platter.

"Would you care to join me for dinner, darling?" Clarisse asked from the doorway.

"Of…..of course. But why all this?" he asked, gesturing to the candles and flowers, feeling his heart rise to his throat.

"I just felt like it, that's why. And I have a few things to tell you, and I felt that this atmosphere would be perfect for it!" She walked closer to him, wringing her hands.

"What's wrong, Clarisse?" He looked at her questioningly

"What makes you think something is wrong?" She avoided looking at him.

"Because you always do that..." he pointed "…with your hands when something is wrong and you are doing your best to not look my way. So something must be wrong!" he took her in his arms, running a hand up and down her back.

"No, no, darling, well, that depends on how you see it! Now come and sit, I had the chef prepare a little something for us!" She swiftly kissed his cheek and sat down herself, Rupert following her move.

They dined in silence, thoughts running through both their heads, thoughts that were more than similar, but with a different ending. When dessert was served, Rupert looked around at the serving staff in the dining room then he looked down at the table.

"Will you all please excuse us, and leave us alone just for a short while? Thank you!" None of the staff was in doubt that he meant for all of them to leave, and at the final click of the door, Rupert raised his head again and caught Clarisse's eye. "Are you going to tell me anytime soon what the doctor said?" His voice was soft but his look was hard, annoyed that she still hadn't said anything. He had expected her in his office at her return.

"ahm….Rup…Rupert, it is very difficult, I don't quite know how to say this!" she stammered.

"I can't see how it can be so difficult, Clarisse, are you or are you not pregnant? If you want, you can just say yes or no!" He leaned back in his chair and kept his eyes fixed on her.

"Rupert, please. This is very difficult for me!" She hid her face in her hands.

"Difficult for you? Clarisse, is something wrong with you? Are you ill in anyway? Please don't say you've caught what the boys have!" Rupert got worried.

"No, it is just difficult for me to say things like this to you!" She looked up with tearstained cheeks.

"Clarisse, please just tell me. Darling you must understand that no matter the result I want to be part of it from the beginning." He had moved to her side and was kneeling beside her.

"No, Rupert, I'm not pregnant. I had fooled myself into believing that I was. I'm sorry, darling. I really am. I know you didn't want another child, but I went on anyway and did what I could to get pregnant." She starting crying and now pressed her face into his shoulder.

"Sssshhh, my love, just let us agree upon when we are having more children!" He kissed her, and as she wrapped her arms around his neck, he deepened the kiss and she was with him all the way. When they broke for air, he looked at her. "Are you disappointed darling, that you aren't pregnant?" he questioned while drying away her falling tears.

"In a way, yes. But I guess I'm not all that sad about it. I have you, I have Pierre and soon Phillip will be starting to get better, and I want us both to want another child!" She kissed him and then stood up.


	7. Chapter 7

Well everybody this is the end of this story, I hope you have enjoyed it

**Well everybody this is the end of this story, I hope you have enjoyed it. And it haven't been to much or to little. But this was the way my muse took me so….**

**Ta ta…**

**ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOoooooooooooooooooooooooooooo**

**3 years later…**

They were sitting in the garden of the Genovian consulate in Italy. Phillip and Pierre were running around trying to catch butterflies. Clarisse and Rupert were sitting on the picnic blanket, Clarisse was leaning up against Rupert's chest, and he had his arms wrapped loosely around her upper body. Both were enjoying watching their children in such a high stage of joy and amusement. Rupert started lightly nuzzling her neck.

"Rupert, that tickles!" she exclaimed with a laugh.

"I know!" he mumbled his answer into her neck.

She tried to playfully avoid him by leaning to the side, but he followed her down, lightly tickling her. He caught her lips and his fingers slipped just beneath the hem of her blouse. They both were lost in the kiss, and didn't notice the boys until Phillip's voice interrupted them.

"Papa, Mama can't breathe when you use her as a bed!" The six year old naivety shone through.

"Oh, boys!" Clarisse laughed and pushed Rupert's head to the side.

"Phillip, Papa is kissing Mama!" Pierre told his younger brother with much seriousness and both Clarisse and Rupert tried to stifle a laugh but didn't succeed. Rupert buried his head in the crock of her neck and laughed, Clarisse covered her face with a hand. But their laughter soon died when Phillip's voice interrupted again.

"But you said that's how babies come?" Phillip questioned his older brother. "and we don't need a baby, right?"

"but maybe mama and papa do, Phillip!" the older boy said with a hint of wisdom.

Rupert sat up and looked at both boys. "Boys, listen. Mama and Papa do not need a baby, we have you guys! And Phillip, babies do not come from Papa kissing Mama, ok, son?" The boys both nodded. "But if we did want a baby, we would tell you about it, Ok?" Again he received a nod from both princes.

Clarisse looked at the jar the boys had beside them. "Wow, you two those are some pretty butterflies you've caught. Remember to set them loose again!" she told them.

Phillip picked up the jar and went to stand beside his mother. "Look, mama, that one looks like you. It has big blue…….If you had a baby, would I be a big brother?" the young boy suddenly asked.

"Oh uhm, yes, then you would be a big brother!" Clarisse answered confused while looking towards Rupert.

"Ok, then I want that, thank you!" Phillip simply stated.

"Uhm boys, go set those butterflies free now ok? Dinner will be served soon so you need to wash up before that as well." Rupert cut in, and received a thankful look from Clarisse.

The boys ran off with the jar, and Rupert stood up, pulling Clarisse with him. "I promised you when the boys were sick that if you decided when they were well again that you want another child that I would be open to it. So do you want a third child?" he questioned her, running his hands up and down her arms.

"Oh I don't know, Rupert. I really don't!" she answered him softly.

"It's your decision, but I'm all for it!" Rupert reassured her that whatever she decided, he wanted that too.

"Well, I don't know, part of me doesn't want another child and the other part wants it so badly that my body is screaming for it to be!"

"Well, if we try for it now, we've kind of covered Europe!" She looked at him questioningly "Yes, if I remember correctly, then Pierre was conceived in England, Phillip in Greece and now we can cover Italy too!" he laughed and she joined in shortly after.

"Well, let's see what happens!" was her final comment before she stood up on tiptoe to kiss him.

**THE END**


End file.
